Vehicle wheel suspension



Jan. 21, 1947. F. w. sLAqK HAL VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION Filed Feb. 19, 1945 awn/row. M62203 reden'c 'fresier Z152.

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Delaware Application February 19, 1945, Serial No. 578,665

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my invention-relates to a vehicle suspension. More specifically it relates to a resilient bumper construction adapted-tor use with links connecting a vehicle frame and steerable wheels therefor.

in constructions involving links connected at one end to a vehicle frame and at the other end to a wheel, it is a problem to provide appropriate stops limiting the movement of the wheel and the links with respect to the frame in two directions. We have devised a construction involving resilient stops acting to limit the above movement and have appropriately associated these stops with springs in the suspension of the vehicle frame upon the links.

An object or the present invention is to provide resilient bumpers for limiting movement of susment of ground wheels connected with the framethrough the suspension means.

A further object is to providemeans for limiting the movement of a ground wheel in two directions, which means involves resilient bumpers providing a relatively small resistance for a certain portion of the movement and a relatively great resistance for another portion of the movement.

Other objects will appear from the disclosure.

The single figure of the drawing is a fragmentary view partially in section showing the suspension ot the front end of a vehicle frame upon a front wheel. Reference character ill designates a vehicle frame to which is pivotally connected an upper link i l by means of a bracket structure it. The end of the link ll connected to the vehicle frame id may be forked so as to extend on opposits sides of the bracket ii, a pin carried in the bracket structure l2 extending through the forked ends of the link i i. The other end of the link I I is provided with a bushing lit in which is secured a stud it by means of anut [5. The stud has a shoulder it engaging one end of the bushing l3 able ground wheel 9. The lower end of the wheel-carrying part H is connected by a universal joint 29 to a lower link M by means of a stud 22. The stud 23 is secured to the outer end of the link 2! by a nut 23 in a manner similar to that shown for securement of the stud ill to the link it by the nut to. The other end of the lower link it may be forked so as to extend upon opposite sides of a bracket structure M providing a pivot to for the link it upon the vehicle frame it.

Attached to the upper side of the link it is a member it, cupped to provide a central portion 2i displaced-upwardly from a surrounding portion to which serves as a seat for the lower end of a coil spring 2%. The non-metallic ring 3% is placed'between the lower end oi the coil spring 29 and the seat 28 on the member 26. tralportion 2? of the member 25 has an opening, and resilient bumpers 3i and 32 are bonded to opposite sides of the central portion ti around the opening in the portion 21. The bumpers 3i and 32 may be formed of a suitable material such as rubber. These bumpers are generally cup-shaped and are provided with openings 33 and M in their bases in registration with the opening in the portion 2i ofrthe' member '26. Portions of the bases of the bumpers: ti and 32 extend into the opening in the portion 2? into approximate meeting relation so as to form in effect a lining in the opening in the portion 21. The side walls of the bumpers 3i and 32 diminish in thickness in directions outward from the bases thereof. The height of the side wall of the resilient bumper til is relatively small at the side toward the ivot 25 as indicated at 35 and is relatively great at the opposite side as indicated at 36. Conversely, the height of the side wall of the bumper 32 is relatively great at the side toward the pivot 25 as indicated at Bl and is relatively small at the other side as indicated at 38.

A member 39 is attached to the vehicle frame 'by means of the bracket structure H. Member 39 is cup-shaped and is provided with a central portion to forming the base of the cup and displaced from an outer portion M in a downward direction, that is in a direction toward the other member 25. The outer portion M serves as a seat for the upper end of the coil spring 29, a nonmetallic-ring 42 being positioned between the portion 4i and the upper end of the spring 29.

Resilient bumpers t3 and M, which may conveniently be formed of rubber, are bonded respectively to the inner side and to the outer side of The cen-- the bases of the bumpers 43 and 44 extend into the opening in the portion 4|] of the member 39 into approximate meeting relation so as to pro-. vide in effect a lining for the opening in the portion 4|]. .The height of the side wall of the bumper. 43 toward the pivot 25 of the lower link 2| is relatively small as indicated at 41, and the height of the side wall at the other side is relatively great as indicated at 46. Conversely, the height of the side wall of the bumper 44 on the side toward the pivot 25 is relatively great as indicated at 49, and the height of the side wall at the other side is relatively small as indicated at 50.

A rod 5| extends through the bumpers 3|, 32, 43, and 44 and the openings in the portions 27 and of the members 26 and 39. A stop 52 in the form'of a disk mounted upon the rod 5| and secured at an intermediate point thereto by soldering or welding as indicated at 53 engages the bumper 3|. A stop 53a in the, form of a disk rests against a shoulder 54 formed on the lower end of the rod 5| and is secured thereto by means I of a nut 55. The stop 53 engages the bumper 32. By virtue of the engagement of the stops 52 and 53 with the resilient bumpers 3| and sistance to such movement except in shock absorber 59 until the stop 56 engages the high side 49 of the resilient bumper 44. At this instant the area of contact between the stop 56 and the bumper 44 is small and the resistance is not great. Continued downward movement of the'links II and 2| brings greater resistance to such movement, for the area of contact between the stop 56 and the bumper 44 increases to a point of completeness at which the stop 56 contacts even the low side 50 of the bumper 44.

It will be seen that, although the rod 5| fits closely within the openings 33, 34, 45, and 46 in the bumpers, it may have some lateral movement incident to movement of thelinks H and 2| with respect to the vehicle frame Ill. When such lateral movement occurs the portions of the bump- 32. A stop 56 in th form of a disk rests against a shoulder 51 formed on the upper end of the rod 5| and is secured thereagainst by a nut 58.

A shock absorber 59 is connected at its lower end to the lower link 2| and at its upper end to the vehicle frame it by means not shown, since the shock absorber and its connections form directly no part of the present invention.

In normal operation the links and 2| will be positioned with respect to the vehicle frame ID as shown in the drawing. If forces are applied to the vehicle frame I0 or to the wheel I9, tending to move the links upwardly, this movement takes place only against the resistance of the spring 29 for-a certain distance until the stop 52 comes into contact with the resilient bumper 43. It will be seen that first contact between the stop 52 and the bumper 43 is made only at the high side 48 of the bumper 43. Thus though additional resistance is provided toward further upward movement of the links H and 2|, this resistance is relatively small. With fur-, ther upward movement of the links resistance increases since the area of contact betweenthe bumper 43 and the stop 52 increases until a condition of complete contact is reached, in which even the short side 41 of the bumper 43 is in contact with the portion of the stop 52 immediately over the short side '35 of the bumper 3|. From this point on further upward movement of the 7 links H and 2| takes place at a greater resistance. It will be noted that'the member 26 has an upstanding portion 60 adapted to contact the under side of the vehicle frame, I0 and thereby to provide a positive limit to the upward movement of the links H and 2|.

If the links H and 2| move downwardly with ers surrounding the openings therein must necessarily be deformed. The openings in the portions 40 and 21 of the members 39 and 26 which are to a ground wheel,- of means for limiting the movement of the pair of links with respect to the frame, said means comprising a first member mounted on the lower link and having an aperture, a first resilient mass formed of such a material as rubber and fastened at opposite sides of the first member at the opening, a second member mounted on the frame and having an aperture, a second resilient mass formed of a material such as rubber and fastened at opposite sides of the second member at the opening, a rod extending through'the resilient masses and the apertures of the members, first and second stops associated with the rod and engaging'the opposite ends of the first resilient mass for preventing axial movement of the rod with respect tothe first member and the lower linkexcept for movement permitted by deformation of the first resilient mass, and. a third stop associated with the rod and engageable with the end of the second resilient mass away from the first member for limiting downward movement of the lower link,

the one of the first and second stops positioned on the side of the first member toward the second member being engageable with the end of the second resilient mass toward the first member for limiting upward movement of the lower link.

2. The combination with a vehicle frame and a wheel-connected link pivotally attached to the vehicle frame, of means for limiting pivotal movement of the link with respect to the frame in two directions, said means comprising a first member attached to the link and having an opening, resilient bumpersmounted at the. opening at opposite sides of the first member, a second member attached to the frame and having an opening,

resilient bumpers mounted at the opening at opposite sidesof'the second member, a rod extending through the bumpers and the openings in the members, first and second stops on the rod engaging the ends of the resilient bumpers mounted at the first member for preventing axial movementof the rod with respect to thefirst member and the lower link except for movement permitted by deformation of the resilient bumpers on the first member, and a third stop on the rod engageable with the resilient bumper on the side of the second member away from the first member for limrespect to the vehicle frame I, there is no re-' iting movement of the first member and the link in a direction away from the second member, the one of the first and second-stops positioned on the side of the st member toward the second-mem ber being engageable with the resilient'bumper on the side of the second member toward the first member limiting movement of the first member and the link in a direction toward the second member.

3. The combination with a vehicle frame and a wheel-connected link pivotally attached to the vehicle frame, of means for limiting pivotal movement of the link with respect to the vehicle frame in two directions, said means comprising a first member having an opening and being secured to the link, rubber bumpers mounted on the first member at the opening so as to line the opening and to project from opposite sides of the first member a second member having an opening and being secured to the vehicle frame, rubber bumpers mounted on the second member at the opening so as to line the opening and to project from opposite sides of the second member, a. rod projecting through the bumpers on both members,

first and second stops on the rod engageable with 4 the ends of the bumpers on the first member for preventing axial movement of the rod with respect to the first member and the link except for movement permitted by deformation of the bumpers on the first member, and a. third stop on the rod engageable with the end of the bumper on the second member away from the first memher for limiting movement of the link and the first member in a direction away from the second member, the one of the first and second stops positioned on the side of the first member toward the second member being engageable with the resilient bumper on the side of the second member toward the first member limiting movement of the first member and the link in a direction toward the second member.

bumpers mounted at the last mentioned apertured portion so as to extend from opposite sides thereof, a rod extending through the apertured portions and the bumpers, first and second stops on the rod engageable with the ends of the bumpers mounted in the apertured portions associated with the link for preventing axial movement of the rod with respect to the link. except for the movement permitted by deformation of the last 5, .The combination with a'vchicle frame memher and awheel-connected link member pivotally attached to the vehicle frame member, of means for limiting pivotal movement of the link memher with respect to the frame member, said means comprising means providinga first apertured portion fixed against movement with respect to one member, resilientbumpers mounted at the first apertured portion so as to extend from opposite sides thereof, means providing a second apertured portion fixed against movement with respect to the other member, resilient bumpers mounted at the second apertured portion so as to extend from opposite sides thereof, a rod extending through the apertured portions and the bumpers, first and second stops on the rod engageable with the ends of the bumpers mounted at the first apertured portion so as to prevent axial movement of the rod with respect to the said one member except for movement permitted by deformation of the bumper mounted at the first apertured portion, a third stop on the rod engageable with the bumper mounted at the sec-- ond apertured portion on the side away from the first apertured portion for limiting pivotal movement of the link member involving movement of the apertured portions away from one another,

engagement of one of the first and second stops with the bumper mounted at the second apertured portion on the Side toward the first apertured portion limiting pivotal movement of the link mentioned bumpers, a third stop on the rod engageable with the bumper mounted at the aperturecl portion associated with the vehicle frame on the side away from the apertured portion associated with the link for limiting movement of the link involving movement of the apertured portions away from one another, the one of the first and second stops positioned nearer the apertured portion associated 'with the frame being engageable with the bumper mounted at the apertured portion associated with the frame on the side toward the aperture-d portion associated with the link for limiting movement of the link involving movement of the apertured portions toward one another.

member involving movement of the apertured portions toward one another.

6. The combination specified in claim 1 and further including a coil spring surrounding the resilient masses and the rod and acting between the first and second members for urging the lower link downwardly.

7. The combination specified in claim 2, each member being at its opening displaced from the general plane of portions radially outwardly therefrom in a; direction toward the-other member, the combination further including a coil spring surrounding the rod and the resilient bumpers and seated on the said radially outward portions of the members for urging the link in a direction involving movement of the members away from one another.

8. Thecombination with a vehicle frame and a wheel-=connected link pivotally attached to the vehicle frame, of means for providing a cushioned limit to movement of the link in one direction with respect to the vehicle frame, said means comprising bumpers having resilient portions, at least one bumper having a resilient face, inflexible means attaching one bumper to the frame and the other bumper to the link, each inflexible means being associated with one bumper so as to be farther from one side of the bumper face than from the other side thereof, the bumper faces being related to one another as to come into contactwith one another only at a small area. at the said one side upon a certain movement of the link in the said one direction, to increase their.

respect to the frame, said -means comprising bumpers having resilient portions, at least one bumper having a resilient face, inflexible means attaching one bumper to the frame and the other bumper to the lower link, each inflexible means being associated with one bumper so as to be farther from one side of the bumper face than from the other side thereof, the bumperfaces being related to one another as to come into contact said other side upon, further movement of the 7 links in. the said direction, and to maintain a I constant complete area of contact upon still further movement of the links in the said one direction.

10. The combination with a.vehicle frame and a wheel-connected link pivotally attached to the vehicle frame, of means for limiting pivotal movement of the link with respect to the frame in two directions, said means comprising a first member attached to the link and having an opening, asecond member attached to the frame and having an opening, first and second resilient bumpers mounted at the opening in the first member, re-

spectively, at the side of the first member toward the second member and at the other side, third and fourth bumpers mounted at the opening in the second member, respectively, at the side of the second member toward the first member and at the other side, a rod extending through the openings in the members and the bumpers, first and second stops on the rod engaging the first and second bumpers, respectively, so as to prevent axial movement of the rod with respect to the first member and the link except for movement permitted by deformation of the first and second tain movement of the link in one direction, the area of contact between-the first stop and the third bumper to increase to a maximum upon a further movement of the link in the said one member toward the first member and at the other side, a. rod extending through the ope'ningsin the members and the bumpers, first and second stops on the rod engaging the first and second bumpers, respectively, so as to prevent axial movement of the rod with respect to the first member and the link except for movement permitted by deformation of the first and second bumpers, the first and third bumpers and the first stop being so related to one anotheras to cause the first stop to come intocontact with; the third bumper over only a small area after a certain movement of the links in one direction, the

. area of contact between the first stop and the third bumper to increase to a maximum upon a further movement of the links in the said one direction, and the aforesaid area of contact to remain at a maximum upon a still further movement of the links in the'said one direction, and

a third'stop on the rod related to the fourth bumper so as to contact the same over only a small area after a certain movement of the links in the opposite direction, to cause the area of direction, and the aforesaid area of contact to remain at a maximum upon a still further movement of the link in the said one direction, and a third stop on'the rod related to the fourth bumper so as to contact the same over only a small area after a certain movement of the link in the opposite direction, to cause the area of contact between the third stop and the fourth bumper to increase to a maximum upon further movement of the link in the said opposite direction, and to cause the area of contact to remain at a maximum upon still further movement of the link in the said opposite direction.

11. The combination with a vehicle frame and the lower link of a pair of'links connected at one end to the vehicle frame and at the other end to a carrying part for a ground wheel,'of means for limiting movement of the pair of links in two directions with respect to the frame, said means comprising a first member attached to the lower link and having an opening, a second mem ber attached to the frame and having an opening, first and second resilient bumpers mounted at the opening in the first member, respectively, at the side of the first member toward the second member and at the other side, third and fourth bumpers mounted at the opening in the second contact-between the third stop and the fourth bumper to increase to a maximum upon further movement of the links in the said opposite direction, and to cause the area of contact to remain at a maximum upon still further movement of the links in the said opposite direction.

12. The combination with a vehicle frame and a wheel-connected link pivotally attached to the vehicle frame, of means for limiting pivotal movement of the link in two directionswith respect to the frame, said means comprising a first member attached to the link and having an opening, a second member attached to the vehicle frame and having an opening, first and second resilient bumpers, mounted at the openings in first member, respectively, at the side of the first member toward the second member and at the other side, the side of the first bumper nearer the pivotal mounting of the link being of less thickness than the other side, third and fourth resilient bumpers mounted at the opening in the second member, respectively, at the side of the second member toward the first member and at the other side, arod extending through the bumpers and the openings in the members, first and second stops on the rod engaging the first and second bumpers, respectively, so asto prevent axial movement of the rod with respect to the-first member except for that permitted by deformation of the first and second, the side of the third bumper toward the pivotal mounting of the link being of less thickness than the other side, the first and third bumpers being so related as to cause contact between the thick side of the third bumper and the portion of the first stop over the thick side of the first bumper after a certain movement of the link in one direction, to bring about an increase in area of the above contact to a maximum upon further movement of the link in the said one direction until contact is made between the thin side of the third bumper and the portion of the first stop over the thin side of the first bumper, and to maintain the maximum area of contact upon still further movement of the link in the said one direction, the fourth bumper being thinner at one side than at the other side, and a third stop on the rod situated with respect to the fourth bumper so as to come into contact therewith over a small area at only the thick side after a certain movement of the link in the opposite direction, to increase the area of contact between the third stop and the fourth bumper to a maximum including contact at the thin side of the fourth bumper upon further movement of the link in the said opposite direction,.and maintaining the area of contact at the maximum upon still further movement of the link in the said opposite direction.

13. The combination with a vehicle frame and the lower link of a pair of links pivotally attached at one end to the vehicle frame and at the other end to a ground-wheel-carrying part, of means for limiting pivotal movement of the lower link in two directions with respect to the frame, said means comprising a first and second member secured to the lower link and the vehicle frame, respectively, and having open ings, the portion of each member immediately surrounding the opening therein being displaced from the outer portions of the member toward the other member, first and second resilient bumpers mounted at the opening in the first member and the portion surrounding the opening, respectively, at the side of the first member toward the second member and at the other side, the side of the first bumper toward the pivotal mounting of the lower link being relatively thin and the opposite side relatively thick, the side of the second bumper toward the pivotal mountr and at the opposite side, the side of the third bumper toward the pivotal mounting of the lower link being relatively thin and the opposite side relatively thick, the side of the fourth bumper toward the pivotal mounting of the lower link being relatively thick and the opposite side relatively thin, a rod extending through the bumpers and the openings on the members, first and second stops on the rod engaging the first and secondbumpers, respectively, so as to prevent axial movement of the rod with respect to the first member except for that permitted by deformation of the first and second bumpers, the

first and third bumpers being so related as to cause the thick side of the third bumper to come into contact with the portion of the first stop over the thick side of the first bumper after a certain movement of the lower link in one direction, the area of contact between the third bumper and the first stop to increase to the maximum including contact between the thin side of the third bumper and the portion of the first stop over the thin side of the first bumper upon a further movement of the lower link in the said one direction, and the area of contact to remain at the maximum upon a still further movement of the lower link in the said one direction, a third step on the rod related to the fourth bumper so as to come into contact with the thick side of the fourth bumper after a certain movement of the lower link in the other 

